Eastern White Cedar (Arborvitae) vs Empress Tree - TreeTime.ca

Eastern White Cedar (Arborvitae) vs Empress Tree

Thuja occidentalis

Paulownia tomentosa

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2025)

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2025)

Eastern White Cedar (Arborvitae)
Empress Tree

Eastern White Cedar is a slender growing conifer often used as a decorative tree or a hedge. This tree is an effective privacy screen even in winter and a great long term solution to urban crowding or a drab yard.

The Empress Tree is a fast growing, ornamental shade tree. It has purple, fragrant flowers that are quite attractive. The flowers emerge before the leaves in early spring. The leaves of this tree can grow very large, up to 30 cm long.

As one of the fastest growing trees in the world, this tree has been given considerable attention for carbon sequestration projects. It drops many seeds which can make it invasive in warmer climates. Please do some research and plant the right tree in the right place.

The Empress tree’s genus name comes from Princess Paulowna, daughter of Tsar Paul I of Russia.

Eastern White Cedar (Arborvitae) Quick Facts

Empress Tree Quick Facts

Zone: 2b
Zone: 5a
Height: 12 m (40 ft)
Height: 9 m (30 ft)
Spread: 4 m (12 ft)
Spread: 9 m (30 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: full sun
Moisture: any
Moisture: normal
Growth rate: slow
Growth rate: very fast
Life span: long
Life span: medium
Suckering: none
Suckering: medium


Bark: gray to reddish brown, flat connected ridges
Flowers: light purple
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Other Names: american arborvitae, eastern arborvitae, northern white cedar
Other Names: chinese empress tree, foxglove tree, princess tree, royal paulownia